Chris Poyzer, MSW
Founder, Cardinal Point Leadership
Most coaching is built for leaders who want to get better. This is for leaders who are trying to hold it together.
You're carrying something that doesn't fit on a performance review. A season at home is bleeding into every meeting. You're performing fine — but something underneath is starting to slip.
These are crucibles — the moments when life gets loud and leadership gets harder. They don't have to be devastating. They just have to be real.
I coach executives through those seasons. With honesty and the credibility of someone who's actually been there.
› Leading through a merger, acquisition, or restructure that won't stop shifting
› A job loss, a forced transition, or a role that no longer fits
› Burnout that's really something deeper you haven't slowed down to look at
› Divorce, separation, or a marriage under real strain
› A family member struggling with addiction, mental health, or legal trouble
› Caring for a sick spouse or aging parent while the board expects results
› Your own health scare — and no one at work knows
› Grief that hit harder than you expected
› A habit or a patter you're not ready to say out loud
› The slow unraveling you can't quite name
This isn't a leadership book that sits on a shelf. It's a decade of loving someone while losing her—and everything that taught me about presence, trust, resilience, and the conversations we're most afraid to have. Part memoir, part coaching playbook, The Long Goodbye weaves research-backed frameworks with the rawest moments of my life. Because the way we lead is shaped by the way we've lived. And our crucibles become our credentials.
From the Book
Sitting in that sunroom, it hit me. Not as panic, but as clarity: This was not going to be a single goodbye someday down the road. This was going to be a long one. At first, that realization felt cruel. Awaiting death can be gruesome and devastating. Watching loss unfold slowly can feel unbearable. I was scared — terrified — and I realized that there would be little chance for do-overs. Over time, I realized I had been given something rare: the chance to say goodbye every day, forever.
— from Chapter 1, "The Sunroom"
Every leader I coach has had some kind of crucible experience. Some have named it. Most haven't. But it's there — shaping how they respond to pressure, how they treat people, what they're afraid of, and what they're drawn to. The most successful leaders are those who've integrated their crucibles. Your crucible isn't something to hide. It's something to integrate. The scar tissue becomes your credential.
— from Chapter 3, "Crucibles of Leadership"
My first wife Tania was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease early in our marriage. It was just the two of us. I became her caregiver — managing medications, sleepless nights, the slow losses that don't announce themselves — while showing up to work the next morning like everything was fine.
It wasn't fine. But I kept going. And somewhere in that decade, I learned something about leadership that no certification teaches: that the hardest thing you'll ever manage isn't a P&L or a team — it's yourself, when the ground shifts underneath you and no one knows what you're carrying.
I've spent 20 years in counseling, social work, and executive development — including time as the in-house Executive Coach at MarineMax. I now work exclusively with executives navigating crucibles — the kind of thing you don't bring up at the leadership offsite.
Chris holds an MSW from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a Brain-Based Certified Coach through the NeuroLeadership Institute.
"Chris has been an invaluable sounding board. You will walk away a better leader — and probably a better person as well."
"A unique blend of attributes that set him apart. Insights and guidance that are both pragmatic and transformative."
"Insightful and gracious. You will not be disappointed."
Full Partnership- $450 per month
Two full sessions each month. And between sessions, I'm in your back pocket — a quick call, text, or email when something comes up that can't wait. Practical tools for what you're facing — not theory, not worksheets. Frameworks for navigating the hard conversations, managing yourself under pressure, and thinking clearly when everything else feels urgent.
Pause or cancel anytime. No contracts, no commitments--just the work.
For executives who don't need more content — they need a steady hand and a quiet place to think. And someone to call when things are hard.
Not sure if you need it? Start here.
Standing Partnership — $225/month
One session per month. Same back-pocket access between calls — text, email, or phone when something comes up that can't wait. Tools and frameworks built around what you're actually facing, not a pre-built curriculum. For leaders who want a steady presence in their corner without the full intensity.
Not sure which is right for you? Start with a free discovery chat. No pitch. No pressure. Just an honest conversation about what you're carrying and whether this is the right fit.
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